Two phase landing system for the moon and its implementation elements

Abstract

A passive landing system for decelerating a payload delivered from orbit or at orbital velocity onto a non-atmospheric celestial body, including a catcher assembly positioned to intercept incoming payloads at orbital speeds, and a deceleration system mechanically coupled to the catcher assembly and extending along a sloped terrain, wherein the system decelerates the payload by exchanging momentum between the descending payload and the extended deceleration system, without the use of propulsion. A landing system for oversized payloads on a non-atmospheric celestial body, which can be used in combination with the passive landing system, including a structure configured to house and secure large-volume cargo during descent and deceleration, a surface interaction mechanism configured to establish frictional contact with regolith of the celestial body, and a dynamic deployment system that controls the extent and duration of surface contact during descent, wherein the landing system decelerates primarily by converting kinetic energy into heat and mechanical resistance through friction with the regolith.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A passive landing system for decelerating a payload delivered from orbit or at orbital velocity onto a non-atmospheric celestial body, comprising:
 a catcher assembly positioned to intercept incoming payloads at orbital speeds; and   a deceleration system mechanically coupled to the catcher assembly and extending along a sloped terrain,   
       wherein the system decelerates the payload by exchanging momentum between the descending payload and the extended deceleration system, without the use of propulsion. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the deceleration is achieved in a gradual and controlled manner through a tension generating wire or rope, extending along the slope, enabling a graceful reduction of horizontal velocity. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catcher assembly is located at the peak of a terrain slope. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a number of lateral wire or rope segments, the segments initially aligned with a central wire and reorienting under tension to gracefully increase resistance. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the deceleration system is configured to operate over a distance of at least 10 kilometers. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wire configuration allows for progressive mechanical engagement along the descent path. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a winch mechanism configured to reset the deceleration wire to its initial position after use. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the winch mechanism comprises one or more intermediate winches for long-distance retraction. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the terrain includes a pulverized regolith layer that is uncompacted and free of gravel, providing impact absorption without excessive burial. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein energy is dissipated through a combination of wire inertia, elastic deformation, soil friction, and gravitational potential changes. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein worn wires and nets are repurposed for 3D printing or protective structural components. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catcher assembly comprises at least one high strength technical yarn woven concave surface. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the concave surface includes a material selected from: (a) a compacted mixture of clay and silt; (b) a pre-shaped closed-cell ceramic foam; or (c) an antiballistic fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catcher assembly is suspended above ground by at least one lifting apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the lifting apparatus is powered by pressurized volatiles harvested in situ on the celestial body. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the deceleration system comprises a core tether and at least one branch tether. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one branch tether is connected between a securing point on the ground and an attach point on the core tether. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the securing point comprises the tether being buried under soil or wound around a conical pile of lunar regolith. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tethers are composed of a gum-metal alloy. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the gum-metal alloy comprises Ti-23Nb-0.7Ta-2Zr-1.2O. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the deceleration system is constructed from repurposed axial and perimetric tethers originally deployed as part of an OPLONAS landing system. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the payload containers are configured such that their outer skins can be repurposed post-landing into structural components by laser processing, including tubular elements or flat panel surfaces. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein worn deceleration wires are repurposed as feedstock for wire-based additive manufacturing or 3D printing. 
     
     
         24 . A landing system for oversized payloads on a non-atmospheric celestial body, comprising:
 a structure configured to house and secure large-volume cargo during descent and deceleration;   a surface interaction mechanism configured to establish frictional contact with regolith of the celestial body; and   a dynamic deployment system that controls the extent and duration of surface contact during descent,   wherein the system decelerates primarily by converting kinetic energy into heat and mechanical resistance through friction with the regolith.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the surface interaction mechanism comprises a rotating structure of axial and perimetric tethers forming a centrifugal skirt around a cylindrical payload bay. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the structure of axial and perimetric tethers is rotated at a rate sufficient to maintain extension during descent, providing both obstacle negotiation and frictional resistance. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the rotation rate is approximately 8.62 revolutions per second for a skirt diameter of 60 meters. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the cylindrical bay has a diameter of approximately 6 meters, and the system is configured to negotiate terrain obstacles up to 27 meters in height. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the axial and perimetric tethers are made of high-tensile synthetic fibers capable of withstanding extreme tensile and mechanical loads. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the perimetric tethers have an external skin of anti-abrasive protection. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a dynamic balancing mechanism integrated into a service module to maintain rotation stability during a landing corridor run. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the tethers act as both a landing cushion and terrain deflection mechanism upon ground contact. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the rotating tether structure can be decelerated in a controlled manner during the final phase of landing to prevent rebound. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the rotating elements may contain deployable telescopic dampers for energy harvesting and fast deceleration. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the rotating elements may contain an inflatable toroidal tube for maintaining the wheel shape at low rotational rates. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the service module can actively rotate the perimetric elements (toroidal tube, perimetric tethers), so that it places the system in roll motion, to offer mobility. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the cylindrical payload bay is repurposed as a surface habitat module after cargo unloading.